New Manifesto on the Future of ACC released

New Manifesto on the Future of ACC released

The ACC Futures Coalition has released its manifesto on the future of ACC. It will serve as the basis of conversations that the Coalition intends to have with politicians in the lead up to next year’s general election.

“The ACC Futures Coalition is absolutely committed to ACC and recognizes its importance to New Zealand’s society and economy,” said Hazel Armstrong, spokesperson for the Coalition. “However, we know that measures taken since 2009 in response to a so-called financial blow out, have made the scheme less accessible and undermined its integrity. We think the measures outlined here will go some way to restoring ACC to its founding principles of community responsibility, comprehensive entitlement, complete rehabilitation, real compensation and administrative efficiency.”

Among other things the manifesto calls for cross-party support on the future of the scheme based on the ideas in the manifesto. It calls for a review of whether ACC should be placed under the control of a government department, as Sir Geoffrey Palmer suggested last year. In order to stabilize levies it is proposed that the scheme move back to pay-as-you-go funding, away from the insurance model of full-funding.

The manifesto places emphasis on strengthening rehabilitation and amending the vocational independence programme so that injured workers are able to return to work in either the same or comparable jobs wherever practicable. It also proposes an ACC Ombudsman to deal with privacy and other complaints about the scheme that may arise.

“We developed this manifesto over the last year or so,” said Ms. Armstrong. “It went through an extensive process of consultation with affiliates, including input from a one-day seminar in Wellington last October. We think it will serve as a sound basis for discussing the future of ACC.”